Bottle-washer.



PATBNTED JULY l1, 1905.

C. MURBAGH.

BOTTLE WASHER.

APPLICATION FILED JAN. 14. 1905.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

, E w W n? m E jv Zn-Jeni@ 7.f mrhf Mrc, @w @www PATENTED JULY 11, 1905.

G. MURBAGH. BOTTLE WASHER.

APPLICATION FILED JAN. 14, 1905.

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UNITED STATES Patented July 11, 1905.

PATENT OEEICE.

CHARLES MURBACH, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR TO E. GOLDMAN @c COMPANY, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, A CORPORATION OF ILLINOIS.

BOTTLE-WASHER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 794,533, dated July 11, 1905.

Application filed January 14, 1905. Serial No. 240,981.

To afl 110mm may concern:

Be it known vthat I, CHARLES MURBACH, a citizen of the United States, residing at Chicago, in the county of Cook and State of Illinois, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Bottle-Washers, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to an improvement in the class of machines used for washing bottles with water and scrubbing them both eX- ternally and internally with brushes to prepare them for filling or refilling.

This invention is more particularly an improvement in the type of machine in the class referred to, employing a base frame or stand surmounted by a drip pan, from within which rises a rotatable bottle-rack equipped with spring-controlled clamping-holders for the bottles, in which they are releasably supported neck downward, and with rotatable brushes for scouring the bottles' internally and externally with water supplied through the hollow stems of the internal brushes, the machine being provided with driving means for turning the rack with an intermittent step-by-step movement to bring the bottles successively into position to be rinsed and scoured and for actuating the brushes, the rack-actuating means also controlling a valve through which the washing-water is supplied and the opening of the clamps to release the bottles for their removal from the machine after they have been thus cleaned and to permit theinsertion of other bottles to be washed. Different bottle -washing machines, all operating in the manner and involving the construction thus generally outlined, are on the market and embody various constructions forming the subjects of Letters Patent. One United States patent to which particular reference is had in this connection is that granted to C. E. Tunelius, dated January 12, 1897', and numbered 575,046.

The present improvement relates solely to the rotatable rack, and, more definitely stated, to the cam-actuated bottle-clamps, the purpose of the improvement being materially to strengthen the rack, as hereinafter explained, by the means forming the novel subject-matter of this application, provided for regulating the vertically-reciprocating motion of the lower movable members of the bottleclamps.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 shows a bottle-washer provided with the improvement referred to by a view in vertical sectional elevation, the section being taken at the line l on Fig 4 and viewed in the direction of the arrow with the main shaft shown broken by dotted lines. Fig. 2 is a broken view showing one of the internal rotary brushing devices in sectional elevation; Fig. 3, a section taken approximately at the line 3 on Fig. l and viewed in the direction of the arrow with a part broken away to disclose a detail; Fig. 4, a section taken approximately at the line 4 on Fig. 1 and viewed in the direction of the arrow, but omittin the clampactuating cam from the vertica stationary post carrying it 5 and Fig. 5 is a sectional view showing, on an enlarged scale, in elevation the improved means for strengthenin the lower movable member of a bottle-c amp against the impairing tendency thereon of the actuating-cam in cooperating with it.

On the stand A is mounted the pan A', in which is su orted the bottle-rack B, comprising the fiipllowing-described construction: A post a, preferably of cylindrical form 8o throughout, rises vertically from the base of the pan, on which it is seated in a bearing b, and carries a cam c, preferably adjustable on the post to different heights at which it is adapted to be rigidly fastened, as through the medium of a set-screw c. A head d rotatably surrounds at its hub d the bearing b and is provided at uniform intervals about it with sockets d2, of which eight are shown, though the number may be any desired multiple of two, and centrally between each pair of the sockets d2, but slightly odset therefrom toward the center of the head, is a third socket d3. Cylindrical guide rods c rise from the sockets d2, and similar, but preferably somewhat thicker, rods e rise from the sockets (Z3. A head f is centrally secured at its hub f on theY post a about its upper end portion and is provided at intervals a out its edge with recesses forming teeth f 2, serving the purpose hereinafter explained. The rods e and e are fixed at their upper ends in this head. Midway between the members of each pair of the teeth f 2 there depends from the head j' a sleeve f 3, in which is journaled to permit free rotation the cylindrical stem g of a cu -shaped socket g, forming the u per vertica y-immovable member of a botte-clamp for receiving the base of a bottle C to be 'washed These cups are rotatably sustained on the upper rack-head by suitable hanger devices. (Represented at g2.) The lower member of each bottle-clamp consists of a centrally-apertured cup-like socket t,

Asupported to re ister with its companion member g, being formed on the end of a neck t, extending from the lower-part of a sleeve h2, reciprocably surrounding a rod e, and from the back of which projects a bearing i, having journaled in it an antifriction-wheel c' to engage the cam c, and from the sleeve there also roject the forwardly-diverging bearings k having ljournaled in them antifriction-wheels 7c to bear against respectively adjacent guide-rods e. An adequately-stiff coiled spring l, Fig. 5, resiliently suspends each sleeve h2 on its vertical carrying-rod e, near the upper end of the latter, to hold the respective wheel-bearing t elastically against the under side of the cam c.

The construction of the rack thus described constitutes the invention of this application, the other elements of the machine being old and well-known, so that more elaborate illustration of the same than that in the accompanying drawings and minute description of each part and its operation is not necessary. It should be stated in this connection, however, that the improved rack may be used with equal advantage in any one of the various bottle-washing machines of the type hereinbefore refererd to, so that it is not intended herein to limit the present improvement to use with any particular construction of the parts of the remainder of the machine, the construction thereof illustrated merely serving as an example in connection with which to explain the operation, and in that connection the advantages of the improved rack construction will be explained.

A frame D extends from the upper end of the post a horizontally and then downwardly to the pan A, to which it is rigidly fastened. A vertical shaft m is journaled at its opposite ends, respectively, in the pan and frame and carries on its upper end a disk n so proportioned that its periphery throughout the greater part of its rotation contacts with the tw o sleeves f 3 adjacent thereto, while at one point in the periphery of the disk is provided a recess n to admit one of said sleeves, and

adjacent to said recess the diskcarries a roller n2 to engage a tooth f2 on the rackhead f. In Fig. l only two of thebottleclamps are represented; but Figs. 3 and 4 show eight thereof to be employed, which is the preferred number, and one tooth f 2 is provided for each clamp. Thus each complete rotation of the disk ln effects rotation of the rack to an extent equaling the space between two bottle-clamps or one-eighth of a revolution, while the rack is held against rotation, except at the time of its intermittent motion by the periphery of the disk engaging two of the pendent sleeves f 3.

Below the disk n is secured a gear-wheel o, engaging a pinion 0, secured to the upper end of a spindle p, carrying brushes p and j ournaled at its lower end on the pan A and at its upper end in a bearing p2, depending from the frame D. This brush device carries on its spindle a grooved pulley p3, adapted to engage frictionally with the pulley-like flange g3 on a socket g, so that when the shaft the pan A and carries a worm g', engaging the worm-wheel g, and worms g2 for purposes hereinafter explained. AThe shaft E carries on its outer end the usual fast and loose pulleys.v (Represented in Fig. 4.)

Besides the external scouring-brushes already described two or more brushes for scouring the vbottles internally kare provided to operate adjacent to the external brushes, and following is a description of these internal brushes.

In a suitable osition below the pan A is provided a spindle-frame comprising parallel members r, connected by vertical rods 1^ and secured to the bottom of the Vpan with their lower ends connected by braces, one of which is shown at r2, to the legs of the stand A. -A hollow cross-head F slides on the rods 1" and carries vertical hollow spindles s, one of which is shown in section in Fig. 2, these spindles passing upward through the two members of the spindle-frame and through openings in the bottom of the pan coincident with the positions at which the lower clamp'- sockets h are stationary, and the upper end of each of these hollow spindles is equipped with a brush s. Each spindle carries feathered upon it a sleeve s2, terminating at its upper end in a conical head s3 to conform to the under side of a socket t, the lowerend of the sleeve being shown split in Fig. 2 to afford to it a frictional spring-grip on its spindle. Another sleeve s4 surrounds and is feathered roo ITO

` machine.

upon each sleeve s2 and is provided with a worm-wheel g3 to mesh with a worm g2 on the drive-shaft.

On a trunnion t, projecting from the crosshead F; is pivoted a link t2, connecting the cross-head lwith the longer arm of a bellcrank lever t, having one end of a connectingrod u pivoted at u to its shorter arm, the other end of the connecting-rod having a ball-and-socket connection with a crank-disk u2, fastened on the lower end of the shaft m.

A valve device G, having a water-inlet o, affords a medium for controlling the supply of washing-water to the interior of the bottles C, which supply is directed from the valve-outlet t through a hose v2 to the hollow cross-head F. The shell of the valve device has seating in it in a usual manner an ordinary plug-valve (not shown) on a stem v3, extending out through the usual stuffing-box and carrying a pin v4, engaging the slotted end of a lever w, fulcrumed at w on a bearing wz, depending from the bottom of the pan A', this lever being open toward its lower end to pass on each side of the pivot u between the bell-crank lever and the connecting-rod lu.. By the described connection the valve of the device G remains open or closed, as the case may be, until the bell-crank lever has nearly completed its motion in either direction, when the valve is quickly operated. Y

The operation is as follows: With the shaft E geared to suitable driving power the shaft m is rotated, and with it the brushspindles jp ands. At the same time rotation of the disk n turns the bottle-rack with an intermittent motion. As the lower inembers h of the bottle-clampscome successively under the lower part of the cam c each is depressed in turn against the resistance of its controlling-sprin Z to permit an attendant to insert a bott e in the position represented between companion clamp members, and as the continued motion of the rack brings the lower clamp member under the higher part of the cam the recoil of its spring effects the clamping of the bottle between the two clamp members. Thus the attendantis enabled to remove a washed bottle at the point in the rotation of the rack where the cam depresses the lower clamp member confining it, and before that member is released from the depressing strain of the cam he is enabled to insert another bottle into position to be clamped preparatory to subjecting it to the washing operation of the As the bottle-clamps with the bottles held in theni attain juxtaposition with the external brushes the bottles are rapidly rotated by frictional engagement between the socket-flanges g3 and the grooved pulleys k. At the same time the hollow cross-head F and hollow spindles s therein are raised by the connection of the crosshead with the crank-disk u2. These brushspindles are thus pushed upward until the conical heads s3 encounter the apertured clamp-sockets h, then registering with the spindles s, when the further rise of the sleeves s2 is arrested by the encounter, and the continued upward movement of the spindle sV protrudes their upper `ends and the brushes s/ thereon through the sockets h into the bottles through their necks, and by the accompanying rapid rotation of the spindles causes the brushes upon them to thoroughly scour the bottles internally. Wvith the raising of the spindles s the rocking of the lever w opens the valve in the device G to emit a stream of water by way.` of the hose v2 and cross-head F through the spindles into the bottles while the brushes s are scouring them. The strain from the cam c against the lower clamping members is, as will readily be realized, very great and tends to distort the sockets 7L, with the effect of disorganizing their required accurate registration with the' brush-spindles s, with obvious disastrous consequences to the machine. Hence the importance of so reinforcing the lower clamp members as to cause them to withstand the cam strains. This reinforcement is rendered thoroughly 4adequate for the purpose by providing the rods e in preferred cylindrical form to facilitate the reciprocating movement upon them of the correspondingly-shaped sleeves h2 and providing each sleeve with its diverging forward bearings against guide-rods e', whereby any distorting tendency of the cam strains against the rear bearings t on the sleeves is effectively resisted. It is desirable to render the cam vertically adjustable on the post (L to position it with relation tothe lower clamp members, the range of movement of which adapts them to cooperate with the upper clamp members in holding bottles of different lengths within a considerable range.

What I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. In a bottle-washing machine, the cornbination of a post, a cam thereon and a rotatory rack comprising upper and lower heads rotatably mounted on said post, pendent upper bottle-clamp members journaled at intervals on said up er head, vertical rods e extending at interva s between said heads, lower clamp members composed of springsupported sleeves on said rods, carrying apertured sockets registering with said upper members and provided with rearward bearings engaging said cam and with forward bearings, and guide-rods extending at intervals between said heads and with which said forward bearings engage, for the purpose set forth.

2. In a bottle-washing machine7 the combination of a post, a cam thereon, and a rotatory rack comprising upper and lower heads rotatably mounted on said post, pend- IOO ent upper bottle-clamp members journaled at intervals on said upper head, vertical rods e 'extending at intervals between said heads,

at intervals on said upper head, vertical cylindrical rods e extending at intervals between said heads, lower clamp members composed of sleeves on said rods with necks projecting from them and terminating in apertured sockets registering with said upper members, wheeled bearings projecting rearwardly from said sleeves and engaging the cam and wheeled bearings diverging forwardly from said sleeves, guide-rods extending at intervals between said heads and with which said forward bearings engage, and coiled springs on which sleeves are suspended, for the purpose set forth.

CHARLES MURBACH. In presence of- FRANK BAUsoH, NEWTON BURGsTRIsER. 

